NBA standings, playoff picture: Current postseason bracket, matchups as Bucks' lead over Knicks shrinks to one
The NBA playoffs are almost here. With less than three weeks left in the regular season, the postseason is set to begin April 16 with the Play-In Tournament. The playoffs get started April 20. While it seems likely we know most of the teams that are going to qualify for the postseason, there is plenty to be decided in the regular season's closing weeks. Seeding, home-court advantage and the chance to avoid the Play-In Tournament are all on the line between now and April 14.
So what's the latest in the NBA's playoff picture? The New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday, and now the Bucks' lead over the Knicks for the East's No. 2 seed has shrunk to one game in the loss column. Milwaukee and New York still have one head-to-head contest remaining on April 7, but Milwaukee has already clinched the tiebreaker.
As a reminder, the NBA's Play-In Tournament will determine the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds in both conferences. Four teams in each conference (the 7-10 seeds) will enter the Play-In Tournament, while the top six seeds will automatically qualify for playoff spots. The seventh- and eighth-placed teams will face each other for the No. 7 seed. The ninth- and 10th-placed teams will face each other in another game, and then the loser of the No. 7/No. 8 game will face the winner of the No. 9/No. 10 game for the No. 8 seed.
For the remainder of the season, this will be your one-stop shop playoff picture. We've got you covered on everything from the current standings to tiebreaker scenarios and magic numbers for both play-in spots and top-six seeds.
Here's where we stand entering play on Friday, March 29.
Playoff bracket if the season ended today...West
(1) Nuggets vs. (8) Suns/Kings/Lakers/Warriors
(2) Timberwolves vs. (7) Suns/Kings
(3) Thunder vs. (6) Mavericks
(4) Clippers vs. (5) Pelicans
East
(1) Celtics vs. (8) Heat/76ers/Bulls/Hawks
(2) Bucks vs. (7) Heat/76ers
(3) Knicks vs. (6) Pacers
(4) Cavaliers vs. (5) Magic
Magic Number: Play-In spot (3)Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Pelicans have clinchedTiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Clippers lead 2-0 with two to play5. New Orleans Pelicans (45-28)Magic Number: Play-In spot (3)Tiebreaker vs. Clippers: Pelicans have clinchedTiebreaker vs. Sacramento: Pelicans have clinchedTiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Suns lead 1-0 with two to play6. Dallas Mavericks (43-29)Magic Number: Play-In spot (5)Tiebreaker vs. Sacramento: Kings lead 2-1 with two to playTiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Mavs clinchedTiebreaker vs. Golden State: Mavs lead 2-0 with two to playTiebreaker vs. Lakers: Mavs clinchedPLAY-IN TOURNAMENT7. Phoenix Suns (43-30)
Magic Numbers: Play-In spot (6)Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Suns lead 1-0 with two to playTiebreaker vs. Clippers: Clippers lead 2-0 with two to playTiebreaker vs. Sacramento: Tied 2-2 with one to playTiebreaker vs. Dallas: Mavs clinchedTiebreaker vs. Golden State: Suns clinchedTiebreaker vs. Lakers: Lakers clinched8. Sacramento Kings (42-30)
Magic Number: Play-In spot (6)Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Pelicans have clinchedTiebreaker vs. Dallas: Kings lead 2-1 with two to playTiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Tied 2-2 with one to playTiebreaker vs. Golden State: Kings lead via division recordTiebreaker vs. Lakers: Kings have clinched9. Los Angeles Lakers (41-32)Magic Number: Play-In spot (7)Tiebreaker vs. Golden State: Warriors lead 2-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Lakers clinchedTiebreaker vs. Dallas: Mavs clinchedTiebreaker vs. Sacramento: Kings clinchedTiebreaker vs. Houston: Rockets lead via conference record10. Golden State Warriors (38-34)Magic Number: Play-In spot (10)Tiebreaker vs. Sacramento: Kings lead via division recordTiebreaker vs. Dallas: Mavs lead 2-0 with two to playTiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Suns clinchedTiebreaker vs. Lakers: Warriors lead 2-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. Rockets: Warriors clinchedIN THE HUNT11. Houston Rockets (37-35)Tiebreaker vs. Lakers: Rockets lead via conference recordTiebreaker vs. Warriors: Warriors clinchedEASTERN CONFERENCE STANDINGS1. Boston Celtics (57-16)Clinched: No. 1 seedMagic Number: Best overall record (5)2. Milwaukee Bucks (46-27)Clinched: Play-In spotMagic Number: Playoff spot (3)Tiebreaker vs. New York: Bucks clinchedTiebreaker vs. Cleveland: Bucks lead via division leader3. New York Knicks (44-28)Clinched: Play-In spotMagic Number: Playoff spot (5)Tiebreaker vs. Milwaukee: Bucks clinchedTiebreaker vs. Cleveland: Knicks clinchedTiebreaker vs. Orlando: Magic clinchedTiebreaker vs. Miami: Knicks clinchedTiebreaker vs. Philadelphia: Knicks clinched4. Cleveland Cavaliers (44-29)Clinched: Play-In spotMagic Number: Playoff spot (5)Tiebreaker vs. Milwaukee: Bucks lead via division leaderTiebreaker vs. New York: Knicks clinchedTiebreaker vs. Orlando: Magic currently own via division leader5. Orlando Magic (42-30)Clinched: Play-In spotMagic Number: Playoff spot (7)Tiebreaker vs. Cleveland: Magic currently own via division leaderTiebreaker vs. New York: Magic clinchedTiebreaker vs. Indiana: Magic clinched6. Indiana Pacers (41-33)Clinched: Play-In spotMagic Number: Playoff spot (8)Tiebreaker vs. Orlando: Magic clinchedTiebreaker vs. Miami: Tied 1-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. Philadelphia: Pacers clinchedPLAY-IN TOURNAMENT7. Miami Heat (39-33)
Clinched: Play-In spotTiebreaker vs. Indiana: Tied 1-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. Philadelphia: Miami leads 2-1 with one to play8. Philadelphia 76ers (39-34)Clinched: Play-in spotTiebreaker vs. Indiana: Pacers clinchedTiebreaker vs. Miami: Miami leads 2-1 with one to play9. Chicago Bulls (35-38)Magic Number: Play-In spot (3)Tiebreaker vs. Atlanta: Bulls clinched10. Atlanta Hawks (34-39)Magic Number: Play-In spot (5)Tiebreaker vs. Chicago: Bulls clinched
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